Session Brief

This is a relatively simple but fun job doing sound design for one of my Audio Pro Network logo videos. I thought this would appropriate for the very first session download, and a reminder to join the Audio Pro Network Mentorship platform too!

When you do this sound design... and hopefully you may incorporate musical elements as well, I want you to think about Sonic Branding.

What is Sonic Branding? Sonic branding is the use of sound to create a unique identity for a brand. It can be used in a variety of ways, such as: Jingles: A short, catchy piece of music that is instantly recognizable as belonging to a particular brand. For example, the McDonald's "I'm Lovin' It" jingle. - OR - Sound effects: Specific sounds that are associated with a brand, such as the Windows startup sound or the "ding" of a text message notification.

Sonic branding can be a powerful way to create a memorable and lasting impression on consumers. It can also help to differentiate a brand from its competitors and build brand awareness.

Here are some of the benefits of sonic branding:

• Increased brand awareness: Sonic branding can help to make a brand more recognizable and memorable. When consumers hear a familiar sound, they are more likely to think of the brand that it belongs to.
• Improved brand association: Sonic branding can help to associate a brand with certain emotions, values, or experiences. For example, the sound of a cash register ringing may make consumers think of money and financial security.
• Enhanced customer loyalty: Sonic branding can help to create a sense of familiarity and connection between consumers and a brand. This can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because Sonic Branding is really important. International companies rely on their sonic brand to stay memorable. So this is your mission. Create a memorable Sonic Brand for Audio Pro Network!

A note about these sessions.

Some will be simple affairs, while others will be fairly intense. No matter how big or small these sessions are, treat them all the same way. Treat them with care and professionalism, like there's a client watching over your shoulder. 

Always follow the same steps for every single session. From edit, to mix, to output, stay organized and serious. For this course to work you need to pretend that you will be sending this to a money paying client. Don't take any shortcuts to do these sessions fast, the only person you will be cheating is yourself.

Your going to need a loudness meter if you don't have one already. Download this meter and insert it on your master bus.  

Need sound effects? There are a lot of places to get free sound effects. Here are a few great resources. 

https://sonniss.com/gameaudiogdc 

https://www.prosoundeffects.com/soundq/ 

https://getsoundly.com/ 

Mix this project to ATSC A/85... TV broadcast level. -24LKFS. If you don't know what LKFS is, here is a good article on the topic. 

Deliverables

This job does not have dialogue or voice over, but I'm still going to ask you for mix and splits (stems). Do it logically. Maybe put whooshe all together in their own stem, with musical elements on a few other stems? Create stems that make logical sense. Whenever you do a mix for clients you will get deliverable specifications to follow, usually in the form of levels, format and stem output. Why do we make stems? For many reasons. Your client may want to remix your work if you are not available. Or maybe they just want a logical separation of tracks for their own archival purposes. Here's an example of how I might name my stems for this session.

File output example;

2023 07 21_APCA Banner_Full Mix

2023 07 21_APCA Banner_FX_Whooshes

2023 07 21_APCA Banner_FX_Drones

2023 07 21_APCA Banner_FX_Musical

I always start with building a template tailored to what a particular job entails. Build your session template from scratch! I want you to print the stems into the session too... no offline exports!

Back Up

Don't forget to backup your session to your backup folder!

Tip: I use BackBlaze and I love it. At only $7 a month it's totally worth it. I only backup my project drive. Find out more here... https://www.backblaze.com/

*Please note; if you decide to purchase the APCA before you are finished with the free content, you must "Complete and Continue" all the lessons in the free week to move onto the paid Week 01 content. After that, new content drops on a weekly basis for 40 weeks.